Methods and apparatus for controlling devices in a networked lighting system

Abstract

Disclosed are various methods and apparatus for controlling illumination sources in a networked lighting system. For example, disclosed is an integrated circuit to control at least one illumination source. The integrated circuit includes a data reception circuit; an illumination control signal generation circuit coupled to the data reception circuit; and a clock generating circuit coupled to the data reception circuit for extracting information from serial data input to the integrated circuit in coordination with a clock pulse generated by the clock generating circuit. The illumination control signal generation circuit generates at least one illumination control signal to control the at least one illumination source based on the extracted information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An integrated circuit to control at least one illumination source, comprising:
 a data reception circuit;
 an illumination control signal generation circuit coupled to the data reception circuit; and 
 a clock generating circuit coupled to the data reception circuit, wherein:
 the data reception circuit extracts information from serial data input to the integrated circuit in coordination with a clock pulse generated by the clock generating circuit; and 
 the illumination control signal generation circuit generates at least one illumination control signal to control the at least one illumination source based on the extracted information, wherein at least one switchable constant current control signal comprises a plurality of controllable switchable constant current control signals and each of the plurality of controllable switchable constant current signals is arranged to independently control at least one separate LED of the plurality of LEDs without any external components. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the clock generating circuit comprises a stable non-precision frequency oscillator. 
     
     
       3. The integrated circuit of  claim 2  wherein the stable non-precision frequency oscillator produces the clock pulse at greater than approximately four times the rate of a desired data read rate. 
     
     
       4. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a transmission circuit uses a first edge of a serial data signal to communicate the first edge through a transmission port. 
     
     
       5. The integrated circuit of  claim 4 , wherein a second edge of the serial data signal to coordinate the transmission of a subsequent second edge of data through a data transmission circuit. 
     
     
       6. The integrated circuit of  claim 4 , wherein a second edge of data is transmitted through the transmission port at a time based on a desired data state. 
     
     
       7. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a voltage reference circuit; wherein the voltage reference circuit regulates current delivered from the illumination control generation circuit. 
 
     
     
       8. The integrated circuit of  claim 7 , wherein the voltage reference circuit senses the voltage value of an external component to regulate the current delivered from the illumination control generation circuit. 
     
     
       9. The integrated circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the illumination control generation circuit generates at least one switchable constant current control signal. 
     
     
       10. The integrated circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the external component comprises a resistor.